FASD-Informed INSET Training: Half-Day Staff Session

6 days ago
4 min read

A practical morning or afternoon training option for whole-school teams, designed to build shared understanding, confidence and consistent support for children and young people affected by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Session Overview

This FASD-informed INSET session is designed for schools, colleges, alternative provision, specialist settings and multi-agency education teams. It gives all staff a shared, non-blaming understanding of FASD and practical classroom, pastoral and safeguarding responses that can be applied immediately. The training works well as either a morning or afternoon INSET, twilight CPD, or the first step in a wider FASD-informed school development pathway over a four stage programme of bespoke support.

Delivery Options

Option	Time	Best for
Morning INSET	10.00am–1.00pm	Whole-staff development, new academic year preparation, transition planning, safeguarding
Afternoon INSET	1.00pm–4.00pm	Whole-staff development, new academic year preparation, transition planning, safeguarding
Extended half day	3.5 hours	Teams wanting more case discussion, planning time and role-specific application

Training Aims

· Increase whole-staff understanding of prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD as a lifelong neurodevelopmental differences, not wilful behaviour.

· Help staff recognise how FASD may affect learning, memory, communication, sensory processing, executive functioning, emotional regulation and social understanding.

· Introduce practical, developmentally appropriate classroom and pastoral strategies that reduce stress, confusion and escalation.

· Support a consistent, compassionate and safeguarding-aware approach across teaching, support, lunchtime, reception, transport and leadership teams.

· Enable staff to identify next steps for reasonable adjustments, EHCP evidence, transition planning and family partnership.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will be able to describe the importance of ruling in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) for early intervention when prenatal alcohol is known. Explain why chronological age may not match developmental functioning, recognise common strengths and barriers, avoid assumptions of capacity based on verbal ability or presentation, adapt instructions and routines, use declarative language techniques, allow for slower processing speed, use co-regulation and low-arousal responses, and identify simple changes that can make the school day more predictable, accessible and safer.

Suggested Half-Day Programme

Time	Focus	Content
0–20 minutes	Starting together with no assumptions	All professionals begin at the same place, using gentle, shared language to understand prenatal alcohol exposure, FASD and complex needs. The session introduces the principle of asking “What does this child or young person need?” rather than “What is wrong with this child or young person?”
20–50 minutes	What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?	Understanding FASD as an enduring brain-based and nervous-system difference linked to alcohol exposure in the womb. Staff consider how central nervous system damage can affect learning, functioning, regulation and support needs across the school day.
50–80 minutes	Interpreting theory into practice	Exploring processing speed, communication, perseveration, confabulation, transitions and the impact on learning. Staff consider how pupils may superficially present as more able than they are because of spiky cognitive and neurodevelopmental profiles, and how assumptions of capacity can lead to expectations that exceed the pupil’s functional ability in the moment.
80–95 minutes	Break and reflection	Reflection prompt: how might symptoms be misinterpreted as behaviour, defiance or lack of effort? Staff identify where practice may need to become more 'FASD responsive'.
95–140 minutes	Educational and therapeutic strategies	Practical application of strategies for the indoor and outdoor classroom, including differentiating the curriculum, scaffolding communication, reducing cognitive load, allowing extra processing time, using declarative language techniques instead of repeated demands, supporting regulation and creating predictable routines for a spectrum of need.
140–170 minutes	Safeguarding, SEND and wider support	Considering individual health plans, risk assessment, safeguarding, Child in Need, Team Around the Family, SEND meetings and good practice in gaining support from a wider multi-agency team.
170–180 minutes	Forward planning and case reflection	Identifying anticipated and emerging needs, planning ahead for transitions, agreeing immediate changes, and setting one follow-up action for leadership, SEND or pastoral teams.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for headteachers, senior leaders, SENCOs, designated safeguarding leads, teachers, teaching assistants, pastoral staff, mentors, lunchtime supervisors, reception and administration staff, transport staff, governors, virtual school teams, alternative provision staff and multi-agency professionals supporting children and young people in education.

What Is Included

· Pre-session planning conversation to understand the setting, audience and priority concerns.

· Live delivery tailored to mainstream, specialist, alternative provision or multi- agency contexts.

· Practical handout with key principles, classroom adjustments and staff reflection prompts.

· Action-planning template for SEND, pastoral or senior leadership follow-up.

· Optional signposting to further FASD-informed support, policy review or deeper- dive training.

Booking and Tailoring Notes

· Recommended minimum booking: 3 hours.

· Delivery can be adapted for mainstream, specialist, primary, secondary, post-16, virtual school, alternative provision or local authority audiences.

· Pre-session information can be gathered anonymously to tailor examples without discussing identifiable pupils.

· The session should use stigma-free, blame-free language and avoid asking staff or families to disclose personal pregnancy or family histories.

· Optional add-ons include a leadership implementation meeting, policy review, EHCP evidence workshop, transition planning session or deeper-dive classroom strategies module.

Book a placeholder diary date by emailing us: info@fasdinformed.co.uk

Additional support is also available through online 1:1 consultation and attendance at meetings for stuck or complex cases requiring thoughtful, out-of-the-box problem solving to understand the spectrum of need and identify a way forward.